Extremely proud tutor moment

 

Penny Evans completed the Advanced Stitched Textiles course in 2022. As part of the course she designed and created a fantastic fantasy costume assessment inspired by the Seri silk moth.

Encouraged by her tutor, and other members of the exhibiting group Out of the Fold of which we are both members, Penny entered her costume into the 3D Quilt Creations category at Festival of Quilts 2024.

Penny was awarded first prize and here she is in the winners gallery alongside her creation.

The show had almost 20,000 visitors over four days at the NEC in Birmingham

Happily Penny was in Birmingham on Thursday 1st August to attend the awards ceremony and receive her prize from www.joecunninghamquilts.com/

The winners of all the Festival of Quilt categories go on to be shown at the Knitting and Stitching Shows in London

www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/london from 10th - 13th October 2024 and in Harrogate 

www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/harrogate/

from - 24th November 2024

Penny showing off her trophy which she received along with the prize money of £1000. 

It is just the best feeling when a student, now friend and fellow exibitor with Out of the Fold, achieves recognition for their talent and dedication. So proud of you Penny. 

You can see all the entries into the Quilt Creations Category here

hefestivalofquilts.co.uk/beyond-foq-quilt-competitions-year/2024/

Maybe I should enter something next year?

Proud tutor moments at Festival of Quilts 2024

Part of my role as tutor on the Advanced Stitched Textiles course with Creative Stitch is to encourage students to exhibit their work. This incudes entering pieces into the Festival of Quilts. This year two students exhibited in the 3D Quilt Creations category.

Karen Cade entered her stack of cards portraying her 'Surplus Women' with each textile card featuring a woman who had to make her own way in the world after being denied the chance of marriage after so many men were killed in WW1.

Women entered the professions as doctors. nurses, teachers, accountants and engineers during this period and changed society, paving the way for working women today.

Here it is displayed on a plinth in the gallery. See by 20,000 visitor to the show

Karen attended the show with her mother, sister and niece to see in in situ. 

Philippa Taitt entered her fantasy costume - a jacket inspired by the fictional character 'Harwin Pike' an eel catcher from the Fens

Here he is displayed along with his eel!

Philippa invented a whole background story about the eel catcher who came to a very sticky end. 

Philippa was invited by the organisers of Festial of Quilts to take part in the Sunday afternoon catwalk of wearable art and here is the video. 

It was great to see students being celebrated in this way. So proud of them both.

 

Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2024

 

Hilary Hannan

The Creative Stitch Graduate Show is always the biggest weekend of my textile year as students complete their courses, mount an exhibition, and show off the results of the two year Advanced Stitched Textiles Course.

It is also an emotional occasion as students say goodbye after spending so much time together and have shared their creative journeys with all the ups and downs of the course. Lifelong friendships have been formed.

 Once in the Creative Stitch 'family' students never really leave.  There were very many past students who visited the exhibition to show their support and to meet up with friends. 

Alison Haynes

Many students go on to form or join exhibiting groups in East Anglia and the Graduate Show is an ideal showcase to spot new and rising stars. 

It was great to see members of the many groups formed as a result of Creative Stitch at the show. 

Many of the class of 2024 have joined existing exhibiting groups but a few are still looking. If your group has a vacancy please contact me and I can put you in touch. 

Chris Johnson

The term four assessment to design and create fantasy costume produced some really outstanding work. Part of the brief is to research an aspect of historical costume and then to imagine a character who might wear such a garment.

 

Philippa Taitt

 Some students are taking their fantasy costumes to the Festival of Quilts for the 3D Creations category. Philippa will be taking part in the catwalk show at the NEC on Sunday 4th August wearing her Eel Catcher inspired jacket

Jenny Butcher

The final assessment, which takes two terms to design and produce, resulted in some outstanding work. All completely different. The images shown here are just to give a flavour of the show and the variety. 

My last Advanced Stitched Textiles course starts in September 2024 and will complete in 2026. That will be an emotional show as I say goodbye to Creative Stitch. 

Festival of Quilts 2024 - Playing with Pojagi packs

 

I am busy getting ready for thefestivalofquilts which will be held at the NEC, Birmingham from 1st - 4th August 2024

My full day workshop 'Playing with Pojagi' on Wed 31st July, the day before the show opens, is sold out with 15 participants so I have been preparing Pojagi packs in lots of different colourways for students to select their favourites. 

These packs will also be on sale from my stand QIA11 during all four days of the show. 

Packs include 0.5 metres of white or black organdie and four pieces of coloured organdie along with a set of very comprehensive instructions.

There will also be packs of five different colours of cotton organdie, again in lots of different colourways - hots, cools, pastels and brights

Five pieces 10" x 20" for £10

After requests last year I will also be selling just the plain white or black organdie. 20" x 40" pieces for £10. 

If you are not planning to visit the Festival of Quilts this year you can order any of these packs directly from me - just email maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

Some will also be on sale at the Creative Stitch Graduate Show at Needham Market Community Centre IP6 8BB

Sat 20th and Sun 21st July 2024

Moth Balls

 

Tiger moth

For the recent Textile Connections exhibition we were challenged to make 'balls' - any size, any design, any technique.

I had fun making a series of 'Moth Balls'

These are all based on real moths and stitched onto soluble film or a calico base. 

Lots and lots of thread! Wired attenae.

Mounted onto needle felted woolen balls.

Maybe I will try a series of 'Cricket balls' next

Selangor moth from Malaysia

Zebra moth

One of the many Hawk Moth variations

One of the Luna Moth family

Another variety of Luna Moth

Creative Stitch Graduate Show - two weeks to go

 

Creative Stitch students are completing their assessments and preparing for the Graduate Show which wil be held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July 2024.

10am - 4pm each day

Venue: Needham Market Community Hall, School Street, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8BB

Entry £4 

There will be 9 Advanced Stitched Textiles students exhibiting as well as 8 Creative Stitched Textiles students with an incredible variety of work on show

This is a colourful detail from the final piece made by Jenna Kitchen

As well as colour expect to see great examples of texture created using various techniques. 

This is a detail from a jacket made by Louise Haywood

To see the whole thing please come aong to the show and talk to the maker!

Advanced students work on their chosen theme throughout the two year course with reading and research being an important part of the process. 

Karen Cade has produced an impressive series of work based on her theme of 'Surplus Women'

This tiny detail just gives a hint of the story telling behind her work. Come along to the show and talk to Karen and the other makers.

Textile Connections exhibition now open

 

'Thinking Outside the Box' - an old/new/repurposed piece of work - will be on show at the Textile Connections exhibition from 2nd - 7th July 2024

This is an interactive piece with visitors invited to rearrange to form new words and phrases from the alphabet cubes

There is quite a lot of 3D work in the show. We are making good use of the four beautiful Georgian side tables in burystedmundsguildhall.org.uk/

These intruiging felted pods are by Nikola Wrigley

Sarah Moran has a whole installation of 'vessels' using experimental techniques

Plus a group 'challenge' issued by member Virginia to make balls. This is just a fraction of the spheres on show.

It really is a varied show. Hoping to see lots of visitors over the next week.